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Villageways
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| Joined: | 23 November 2007 |
| Location: | United Kingdom |
| Posts: | 269 |
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Posted: 6 January 2008 03:11 pm | 1st Post |
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Home wind turbines are significantly underperforming and in the worst cases generating less than the electricity needed to power a single lightbulb, according to the biggest study of its kind carried out in Britain.
An interim report revealed that homeowners could be being misled by the official figures for wind speeds because they are consistently overestimating how much wind there is - sometimes finding that real speeds are only one third of those forecast. In the worst case scenario, the figures indicate that it would take more than 15 years to generate enough 'clean' energy to compensate for the manufacture of the turbine in the first place.
The study, supported by government and the British Wind Energy Association on behalf of the industry, is a setback for hopes of a big uptake in micro-wind turbines to help slash the carbon emissions from big power generation.
But the environmental consultancy running the project, Encraft, said there was noticeable disparity between poor results in urban and suburban areas - such as the west London area where Conservative leader David Cameron hopes to put up a turbine - and far better ones in high-rise and coastal locations.
Other research, however, shows that seven out of 10 people say seeing turbines reminds them to save energy, said Matthew Rhodes, Encraft's managing director. 'There is no doubt that microgeneration as a whole has a critical role to play in delivering a low carbon and secure energy future for the UK.
'Micro wind turbines are part of this mix, but they need to be installed in a responsible and appropriate manner.'
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contadino
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Posted: 9 January 2008 07:06 am | 2nd Post |
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I'm really not very surprised by this. Installing a turbine is one of those projects where it's very easy to get over-optimistic. Also so many times I've seen people simply referred to the UK wind speed database to see if they have enough wind. Well, what if your house is in a valley or surrounded by trees - the database won't take that into account. And who, in all reality is going to pop an anometer (or whatever they're called) on a mast to collect wind speed data for a year before buying a turbine? The mast is usually as expensive, if not more, than the turbine itself.
In general, and in contrast to the sales patter by turbine companies, you need to think that more often than not, a site will not perform well. Prove to yourself that a turbine will work before shelling out on one.
Ciao ciao,
Jeremy. (Currently with a 9m scaffolding pole standing in the garden with an anonymeter at the top)
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